


Tied

by Mimm



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-25 04:57:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14371380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimm/pseuds/Mimm
Summary: Hartley dislikes Cisco's shirts. Cisco knows it.Set somewhere between their feud and truce, which we didn't get to see on screen.





	Tied

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rivulet027](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivulet027/gifts).



Between the half-assembled gadgets and torn apart electronics, the little box looked out of place, dark blue cardboard finished with a pearly white bow. Cisco knew it hadn't been there an hour ago and glanced around, but the place was empty. Everybody had already left.

Maybe it was an explosive, he thought, and gingerly picked it up. There was no card on it, no note of any kind, and it made no sound as he shook it. He opened the lid and frowned. He was looking at a rolled up piece of silky fabric with stripes of burgundy and gold. The colours made the corner of his mouth curve up.

He took it out of the box to unroll it, and a little envelope fell on the desk. It had his name on it in neat handwritten cursive, and he thought he recognized the handwriting. He set aside the tie and picked up the envelope, pulling out the little card inside.

_Can't have you wearing those hideous shirts at your birthday party._

Even without a signature, he knew who it was and let out a little chuckle.

*

Hartley knew it wasn't polite, but he scanned the sea of conversations for familiar voices until he found the one he wanted. Peeling away the music, the bass beat and singing and chatter, he focused on the voice and finally saw him. Dressed in a dark blazer, hair in a ponytail, accompanied by Barry and Iris.

"Happy birthday," he said, and when Cisco turned around he saw the shirt under his blazer. Einstein. No tie. He felt a little disappointed. Maybe he had misread the signs.

"Hey, you made it," Cisco said with a wide grin, putting his hand on Hartley's shoulder where it felt very heavy and very _there_. His breath smelled of lemon and alcohol, and his words sounded a little rounder than usual.

Barry leaned in to say something to Cisco before disappearing with Iris into the loud crowd.

Hartley must have been staring, because when he lifted his gaze Cisco gave him an amused look.

"It's back home," he said.

"Of course it is," Hartley replied. "You and those shirts are inseparable. A bit like you and lousy taste."

Cisco laughed.

"It's all part of a plan, and now you're finally here," Cisco said before finishing his drink in a long gulps and setting the empty glass aside.

"I see," Hartley replied, even though he didn't. But he had grown to enjoy Cisco's derailing thoughts that always kept him on his toes, so he went with it like he always did.

"You want me to stop wearing these shirts," Cisco began, raising his fingers to play with the cuff of Hartley's sleeve, fingertips touching the inside of his wrist, causing shivers. "Then you'll have to take them off me."

He had definitely read the signs right.

Cisco grinned, biting his lip before leaning in closer, the tips of their noses almost touching.

"Then I will put on the tie."


End file.
